Vehicle air circulation and ventilation systems have long been utilized in vehicles to provide comfort by way of constant supply of fresh air to the vehicle occupants. Initial air circulation and ventilation systems comprised of a simple duct that was opened or closed by a manually operated valve directing outside ambient air to the vehicle's interior. Advances made over the years includes, utilizing of various vents along with an electrically driven fan or impeller directing the outside ambient air around the vehicle for air circulation and ventilation purposes.
Most air circulation and ventilation systems in vehicles require custom fabricated duct work to transfer ambient air in and around the vehicle, in such a scenario the cost for manufacturing, tooling, installation and maintenance of the electrically driven fan or impeller adds on cost of the vehicle as well the complexity in the manufacturing process. In addition, it requires separate ducts as well as typical additional vents to be made in the vehicle to enable the air circulation and ventilation in the vehicle.
One of the disadvantages of using electrically driven fan or impeller along with custom fabricated ductwork for pulling the ambient air inside the vehicle is that it may not provide efficient air circulation in the rear compartment as compared to front compartment of the vehicle. At the same time, it may not be cool the power train system. Another disadvantage is that the fan or impeller can make a noise once it gets old hence the maintenance cost are inevitable.
With the advent of polymer molded vehicle bodies, it is possible to simplify and cut down the cost of air circulation and ventilation systems.
Some of the prior arts known to us, which deal with air circulation and ventilation system for cooling of the power train systems as well as the passenger area in the vehicle, are as follows:
US20100225264 filed by Okuda et al teaches that a system for cooling a battery mounted on a vehicle using air within a vehicle, independent of the travelling state of the vehicle. The air within a vehicle compartment is guided to a battery mounted on a vehicle to cool the battery. A controller determines a basic fan speed “v” of the cooling fan based on a battery temperature and an ambient temperature. Further, the controller calculates an increment “δv” of the fan speed in accordance with the vehicle speed and the degree of window opening and determines a final fan speed “V” according to “V=v+δv”, to drive the cooling fan. By controlling the fan speed to increase, it is possible to cool the battery even when the base pressure of the inlet-side static pressure of the cooling fan becomes negative pressure compared to when the windows are closed. However, the ventilation system requires a separate pathway from exterior to interior.
JP2007112268 filed by Hiroyuki et al teaches a method for cooling inverter and battery. This battery temperature optimizing system for vehicle includes a duct, which helps cabin communicate with vehicular exterior surrounding. The battery and the other heating element are disposed in series within the duct this battery temperature optimizing system further includes an airflow changer for changing an air circulation path in the duct based on temperatures of the battery. However, the ventilation system requires a separate pathway from exterior to interior.
WO2010076453 filed by Robert et al teaches that a device for cooling the battery or batteries of a motor vehicle, especially an electric vehicle, wherein said vehicle comprises of a temperature regulating unit provided with an evaporator arranged in the passenger compartment and a condenser arranged outside the passenger compartment. Said device is characterized in that it comprises an air conduit between the evaporator and the battery or batteries, for recuperating some of the cold air generated by the evaporator and sending it to the battery or batteries in order to cool same. However, this invention is using a conventional air conditioning cooler for cooling the battery or batteries of the motor vehicle.
However, difficulties have been encountered in obtaining uniform air distribution with adequate air exchange and maintaining high efficiency in the passenger area as well as power train systems of the vehicle at the lowest possible cost.
Thus, in the light of the above mentioned state of the art, it is evident that, there is a long felt need in the art to:                Provide cost effective and efficient air circulation and ventilation system in the vehicle;        Achieve sufficient air circulation to the passenger area as well as power train systems in the vehicle;        Use the vehicle body itself to act as a ventilation provider, thus eliminating the need of separate ducts as well as typical additional vents;        Reduce the machining and tooling cost involved in the production of air circulation and ventilation systems in the vehicle;        Effectively manage the inventory and logistic associated in the automobile industry for production, installation and maintenance of the air circulation and ventilation systems in the vehicles, thus reducing the cost and time factor; and        Reduction the number of OEM suppliers engaged in production of the vehicle air circulation and ventilation systems in the vehicle.        